Blind Blake

about

There are at least two artists with the name Blind Blake 1. Arthur "Blind" Blake (c. 1893- December 1, 1934) was an influential blues singer and guitarist. There is only one photograph of him in existence. Very little is known about his life. His birthplace was listed as Jacksonville, Florida by Paramount Records, but even that is in dispute. Even his name is not certain. During recordings he was asked about his real name and he answered that his name was Blind Arthur Blake which is also listed on some of the song credits, strengthening his case on his real name, although there is a suggestion that his real name was Arthur Phelps. Blake recorded about eighty sides for Paramount Records in the late 1920s and early 1930s. He was one of the most accomplished guitarists of his genre, with a surprisingly diverse range of material. He is best known for his distinctive guitar sound, whose complex and intricate fingerpicking was comparable in sound and style to a ragtime piano. His first recordings were made in 1926 and his records sold well. His first solo record was "Early Morning Blues", with "West Coast Blues" on the B-side. He made his last recordings in 1932, the end of his career being aided by Paramount's bankruptcy. One would surmise, given Blake's importance, celebrity status, popularity and sizeable recorded output that we would know something about the man. And after more than five decades of searching conducted by experts on behalf of Blind Blake, we still don't know an

top songs

albums

Ragtime Guitar's Foremost Fingerpicker

All the Published Sides

Georgia Bound

The Best of Blind Blake

Rough Guide To Blind Blake

Bahamian songs

Presenting Blind Blake

The Very Best Of

Blind Blake Vol. 3 (1928 - 1929)

Blind Blake Vol. 1 (1926 - 1927)

Blind Blake Vol. 4 (1929 - 1932)

Blind Blake Vol. 2 (1927-1928)

similar artists